Shirt folding apparatus



P 23, 1958 A J. w. STEELE I 2,853,215

SHIRT FOLDING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 22, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 1 M fifee/e,

A TTOIQNEW Sept. 23, 1958 J. w. sTEELE SHIRT FOLDING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 22, 1957 United States Patent C) i SHIRT FOLDING APPARATUS James W. Steele, North Kansas City, Mo.

Application November 22, 1957, Serial No. 698,203

6 Claims. (Cl. 223---37) The present invention relates to garment folding apparatus, with more particular reference to apparatus designed for the folding of collar-attached garments such as mens shirts, which require a certain degree of careful handling following the shirt finishing operation, for the proper folding of the shirt prior to packing or storing the same.

One special object of the invention is to introduce means forming part of the garment folding mechanism and adapted to modify to some extent the outline of the upright portions of the finished collar portion-of the shirt, to cause the same to fall more within the depth space occupied by the remainder of the shirt after being foldedfor the purpose of promoting the facility of the packaging operation as well as economizing in the volume or space required for the completed bundle or package.

For accomplishing this purpose of the invention I have devised a novel design of collar clamping means, forming a part of the garment folding mechanism, and adapted to embrace the collar portion of the garment in such a way as to hold the finished collar practically within the limits or boundary of the depth space to be occupied by the remainder of the garment after being folded and ready for the application of the desired envelope or wrapping means to the finished and folded garment.

In providing a device for the described purpose as stated, it is also sought to devise an extremely simple and efiiciently operating means and characterized by operating features designed to expedite the operation as to the time required therefor, and which is also adapted to be readily installed in place in standard types of garment folding apparatus.

With the foregoing general purpose in view, the invention will now be described in detail by reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating a practical and efiicient form of apparatus embodying the proposed improvements, after which those features of the new con struction which are deemed to be novel and patentable will be particularly defined by the appended claims.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a garment folding apparatus equipped with shirt collar clamping means constructed in accordance with the present invention, and incidentally showing a finished and folded shirt mounted on the hinged folding leaf (the remaining upper and lower portions of the apparatus being broken I Figure 2 is a similar perspective view illustrating another stage of the operation and indicating the position of the folded garment during the application of a bag or wrapper thereto, at the conclusion of one cycle of operation of the garment folding procedure;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the improved collar gripping or clamping meansshown as separate from the remainder of the apparatus or before being installed therein;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of said collar gripping or clamping means;

Patented Sept. 23, 1958 ice Figure 5 is a sectional detail view of said collar gripping or clamping means in working position, and in collargripping relation to a garment which is represented by the dotted lines in said view; and

Figure 6 is a similar sectional view illustrating the collar-gripping means after operation to release the same from clamping engagement with the shirt collar, and the shirt being raised by the fold board member as the latter is lifted by the operation of the movable jaw of said collar-gripping means.

Considerable progress has been made in the development of garment folding machinery for the proper and efficient carrying out of the folding operations, and particul'arly as regards the folding and packaging of mens shirts, in most of which operations the normal upright proportions of the collar portion of the shirt are left practically unaffected and unaltered in any respect as to the normal upright design of the collar. A typical example of such an apparatus is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 in the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 of which illustrate the usual layout of the top or table portion of this type of apparatus, as regards the provision of a top table surface fitted with guide strips or cleats 12, a cross channel 14 for storage of wrapping bands 15, a shirt collar recess 16, and a swinging fold board or leaf 18 hinged at 20 to the top or Working face of the table. However, 'in place of a tapered collar block, such as is usually mounted in the center of the collar well or recess 16 (as appears in the prior form of construction illustrated in my Patent No. 2,310,555), the present construction employs a collar gripping or clamping unit, as represented in Figures 1 and 2, and the particular details of which are more clearly illustrated in the remaining views of the drawings.

For the support of the collar clamping unit in position, within the collar recess or chamber 16 of the folding apparatus, an approximately circular or ring-shaped plate 24 is provided for attachment to the bottom of said collar well or chamber, to which it is secured by means of bolts 26 engaging openings 27 in a series of lugs 28 projecting from the outer edge of the plate 24. In this way the open portion of said plate is maintained in register with the bottom opening 30 of the collar chamber 16, as

represented in Figure 5 and as required for properly accommodating the different movements of the parts comprising the collar gripping or clamping means carried by said plate 24.

This collar clamping means is made up of a fixed clamping jaw 32 and a movable jaw 34 which is pivotally supported upon the fixed jaw by means of a pivot pin 36 mounted in a pair of spaced lugs 38 projecting upward from opposite end portions of the fixed jaw 32 (Figure 1). The fixed jaw 32 in turn is secured by screws 40 to the angular portion 42 of a supporting plate 44 having one end portion thereof attached by screws 46 in adjustable engagement with slots 47 formed in a part of the inner margin of the plate 24. As represented in Figure 5,- the angular portion 42 of the plate 44 is designed to support said fixed jaw 32 in a distinct slanting relation to the plane of the plate 24, and hence in the same slanting relation to the working face 11 of the table; and, moreover, the hinge mounting of the movable jaw 34 is such that its jaw-closing movement brings the two jaws 32 and 34 into a forwardly converging relation, thus leaving a slight clearance space 45 between the jaws-for reasons hereinafter explained.

Means is further provided for yieldingly actuating the movable jaw 34 into either closed position, as repa pin 54, the lower end of which operates slidingly through. a guide opening 56 in an angular bracket.58 depending from the rear end of the plate 44. A coil compression spring 60 is mounted on the said pin 54 between the bracket 58 and the sleeve 52, being thereby positioned to automatically actuate the movable jaw 34 into either open. or closed position as the pin 54 is moved to and fro past center into either of the positions. representedlby theseparate views shown in Figures and 6.

The closing of the collar gripping jaws 32 and 34 is brought about by manual engagement and pushing of the movable jaw 34 into its closed positionas illustrated in Figure 5.

For actuating said movable jaw 34 in the opposite direction-or into open position, different optional methods of control may be adopted, the method herein shown consisting of a hand lever 62 mounted on the outer end of a shaft 64 which is journaled in brackets 66 attached by screws 67 to the under face of the plate 24, and the inner end portion of the shaft having attached thereto an arm 68 extending rearwardly and joined by a flexible connection, such as a chain 70, to the free end of a second arm 72 suitably attached to the rear end portion of the movable jaw 34.

The hand lever 62 is thus arranged in convenient position at one side of the apparatus for manual operation by the workman for the opening of the collar-gripping jaws and release of the collar and simultaneous lifting of the folded garment into the position illustrated in Figures 2 and 6. It is obvious of course that equivalent operating means may be arranged for foot operation by utilizing said lever 62 as a crank arm forming a part of pedal-operated connections arranged at the base of the apparatus-as will be readily understood.

In the light of the foregoing description of the improved apparatus as illustrated by the drawings, the operation of the same for accomplishing the desired purpose of the invention may be summarized as follows.

The collar 19 of the shirt is fitted with a collar support 21, preferably of the improved type shown and as illustrated in my pending patent application Serial No. 689,695 for better achievement of the desired results as regards partial collapse of the collar in the folding operation. At the beginning of the operation, the hinged fold board or leaf 18 is in raised position, and the hinged collar-gripping jaw 34 is also raised into open position, as represented in Figure 1. The shirt is then placed on the work bed or table surface 11, with its collar portion projecting into the collar well or chamber 16 and the inner back portion of the collar 19 resting upon the fixed clamping jaw 32, after which the movable jaw 34 is pressed forward into gripping engagement with the collar, thereby holding the collar fixed in the slanting position illustrated in Figure 5 throughout the shirt folding operation. In this clamped position the slightly tapered space 45 between the jaws provides the necessary clearance for accommodating the collar fold and its supporting strip 21.

The shirt folding operation is then proceeded with and carried out in the usual manner, as outlined in such patents as No. 2,310,555-and ending with the application of one of the wrapping bands 15 to the folded shirt.

The operator next releases the clamping means, as by pulling the handle 62 forward, which results in actuating the movable jaw 34 into the wide-open position shown in Figure 6. In swinging upwardly into this open and collar-releasing position, the jaw 34 necessarily engages and simultaneously lifts the hinged fold board member 18, automatically swinging it also, together with the released shirt, upwardly into the raised position shown in both Figure 2 and Figure 6, some distance above the table surface and in a most convenient position for facilitating the application of a wrapping bag 25 or the like, and the final removal of the finished, folded and wrapped garment from the mold board 18.

The operator may now swing the fold board member 18 back into initial inoperative position, as, illustrated in Figure 1, ready for a repetition of the operation as above outlined.

It will thus be seen that the improved construction provides complete and efficient apparatus not only for effectively packing the garment, including its collar portion, in as compact a state as possible, but also is adapted to accomplish this result with a moderate degree of pressure action, to the end of preserving the essential contour lines of the collar itself.

Moreover, from beginning to end the operation is thus carried out efficiently and with a minimum of lost motionin which connection a suitable supply of the collar support elements 21 may be maintained conveniently accessible to the operatorjust as in the case of the wrapping bands 15.

While I have thus shown and described novel apparatus and equipment for properly carrying out the purposes of the proposed improvements in a practical and efiicient manner, it is obvious that modifications of the illustrated construction may be made in various particulars; it is my desire, therefore, to be understood as reserving the right to make such changes or variations. as may fairly be deemed to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Garment folding apparatus comprising, in combina-, tion, a table structure having a top working face formed with a collar recess or chamber for accommodating the collar portion of a garment resting on said working face of the table, collar gripping means operative to grip and hold the rear portion of the garment collar. while occupying said chamber, a swinging fold board member adapted to be positioned in operative garment folding relation to said top working face of the table, and means operative to release said collar gripping means from gripping engagement with the garment collar and simulta neously operate said gripping means to engage and lift said fold board member into elevated position above said working face of the table.

2. Garment folding apparatus comprising, in combination, a table structure having a top working face formed with a collar recess or chamber for accommodating the collar portion of a garment resting on said work? ing face of the table, collar gripping means comprising a fixed jaw and a movable jaw operative to grip and hold the rear portion of the garment collar while occupying said chamber, a movable fold board or leaf member adapted to be positioned in operative garment folding relation to said top working face of the table, and manual means operative to release said collar gripping means from gripping engagement with the collar portion of the garment, said movable jaw being operative simultaneously with said collar releasing action to engage and lift said movable fold board into elevated position above said working face of the table.

3. Garment folding apparatus comprising, in combination, a table structure having a top working face provided with a recess or chamber below the level of said working face for accommodating the collar portion of a garment resting thereon, collar gripping means comprising relatively movable jaws operative to grip the rear portion of a garment collar while occupying said chamber and hold said rear portion in slanting or inclined relation to said working face of the table, a movable fold board or leaf member adapted to be positioned in operative garment folding relation to said top working face of the table, and means for actuating said collar gripping means to release the same from gripping engagement with the collar portion of the garment and to simultaneously actuate said gripping means to engage and lift said fold board member into elevated position above said working face of the table.

4. Garment folding apparatus comprising, in combination, a table structure having a top working face provided with a collar chamber below the level of said working face for accommodating the collar portion of a garment resting thereon, collar gripping means comprising relatively movable jaws operative to grip the rear portion of a garment collar while occupying said chamber and having converging clamping surfaces to form a correspondingly shaped clearance space between said jaws, a movable fold board member adapted to be positioned in operative garment folding relation to said top working face of the table, and means for actuating said collar gripping means to release the same from gripping engagement with the collar portion of the garment and to simultaneously actuate said gripping means to engage and lift said fold board member into elevated position above said working face of the table.

5. Garment folding apparatus comprising, in combination, a table structure having a top working face formed with a collar recess or chamber for accommodating the collar portion of a garment resting on said working face of the table, collar gripping means comprising a pivoted jaw and a movable jaw operative to grip and hold the rear portion of the garment collar while occupying said chamber, means for releasing said gripping means from gripping engagement with the collar portion of the garment and including means operating automatically to acuate said pivoted jaw into either open or closed position, and a handle member for operating said pivoted jaw into open position, said handle member and pivoted jaw each having a rigidly projecting arm and said arms having a flexible connection for transmitting the handle operating action to said pivoted jaw for opening the latter and thereafter permitting closing movement of the pivoted jaw independently of said handle.

6. Garment folding apparatus comprising, in combination, a table structure having a top working face formed with a collar recess or chamber for accommodating the collar portion of a garment resting on said working face of the table, collar gripping means comprising a fixed jaw and a movable jaw operative to grip and hold the rear portion of the garment collar while occupying said chamber, said movable jaw being mounted for movement from collar gripping position upward into collar releasing position with the free end of said movable jaw projecting some distance outside the chamber, a pivoted fold board or leaf member overlying said recess or chamber and movable into and out of garment folding relation to said top working face of the table, and manual means operative to release said collar gripping means from gripping engagement with the collar portion of the garment, said movable jaw being operative simultaneously with said collar releasing action to engage and lift said fold board member into elevated position above said working face of the table.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,996,548 McEwen Apr. 2, 1935 2,369,607 Rieck Feb. 13, 1945 2,470,516 Neckel May 17, 1949 

